title: Architecture, implementation, and testing of a multiple-shell gas injection system for high current implosions on the Z accelerator.
abstract: Tests are ongoing to conduct ~20 MA z-pinch implosions on the Z accelerator at Sandia National Laboratory using Ar, Kr, and D2 gas puffs as the imploding loads. The relatively high cost of operations on a machine of this scale imposes stringent requirements on the functionality, reliability, and safety of gas puff hardware. Here we describe the development of a prototype gas puff system including the multiple-shell nozzles, electromagnetic drivers for each nozzle's valve, a UV pre-ionizer, and an inductive isolator to isolate the ~2.4 MV machine voltage pulse present at the gas load from the necessary electrical and fluid connections made to the puff system from outside the Z vacuum chamber. This paper shows how the assembly couples to the overall Z system and presents data taken to validate the functionality of the overall system.
authors.affiliation: Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation, San Leandro, California 94577, USA.
authors.forename: Mahadevan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: Kristi Wilson
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Madden
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bixler
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lamppa
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: McKenney
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Strizic
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Vigil
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ampleford
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cuneo
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jones